A Vendor Lock-In is when certain software is developed to be incompatible by design with other software that have similar functionality. It is used to establish a monopoly. And any such function is malicious.
This comment thread is for people to document various implementations of this malicious feature.
The paradox of freedom is by no means a new concept, but it is showing itself in most unexpected places, which are unfortunate sometimes and bring chills down the right people's spines when realized. Thus was the story your writer is going to tell in this wonderful piece of writing. Scary! Truly scary, it was! Battle-scars will appear on the protagonist's flesh, after healing from this experience. How utterly idiotic he was! Almost failed due to an error. Due to an expectation and presupposition that was at most erroneous. But still, how lucky. Because through all those struggles a victory was acquired non-the-less.